


Love At First Kiss

by batsy_rocks



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Justice League - All Media Types, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Attempt at Humor, BAMF Bruce Wayne, Bruce Wayne is Brucie Wayne, Bruce Wayne is So Done, Emotional Constipation, Feelings, First Kiss, Friendship/Love, Fundraisers, In Public, Interviews, Kind of fluffy, Light Angst, M/M, Male Friendship, News Media, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Prompt Day 7, Public Image, Public Relations, Public Scene, Scandal, Secret Identity, Smitten Clark Kent, Social Functions, Stolen Kiss, Superbat Week 2020, Surprise Kissing, Touching, Unresolved Romantic Tension, damage control
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:01:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25683205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batsy_rocks/pseuds/batsy_rocks
Summary: The world is in an uproar when Superman kisses Bruce Wayne in the middle of a crowded ballroom and then proceeds to fly away with the billionaire in his arms.
Relationships: Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 58
Kudos: 328
Collections: DC





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was partially inspired by [this ](https://haining-art.tumblr.com/post/153424528960/kiss) beautiful art by the marvelous [haining-art](https://haining-art.tumblr.com/). Seriously, if you haven't seen their art before you definitely should. Every single piece deserves at the very least one glance.
> 
> I should mention that this is in no way officially linked to the art and that I didn't have a way to ask for permission since I don't have an account in any of their platforms, but when I was looking through one of their profiles to make sure they weren't against the idea of fanfic inspired by their work I found [this comment](https://www.deviantart.com/haining-art/art/Worlds-Finest-196778933?comment=1%3A196778933%3A4413527950) in one of their works that made me believe it was okay to post the link to the art I was inspired by. If anyone knows different let me know and I will delete the link.

Clad in an expensive tailored tuxedo, impeccable shoes, and hair artfully coiffed, Bruce remained out of sight from the crowd as he stood to the side of the stage. He tapped his foot a little as Mayor Hill continued with his welcome speech, even if he had mostly tuned him out only seconds after the man took the stage.

He straightened up and fixed the cuffs of his jacket as the staff assistant at his side let him know it was his turn as the Mayor finally wrapped up his speech. His name was announced less than a minute later, and as the polite sound of applause filled the room, he schooled his features, plastering a dazzling smile on his face before moving.

As he walked toward the center of the stage, Bruce turned his head in the direction of the attendees and reporters, waving at them as the blinding light of the cameras flashed.

He kept his smile in place even as he shook hands with the Mayor, and forced his body not to stiffen as the man's hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Mayor Hill," He said to the microphone with a slightly forced smile, before turning fully to the people before him. "And thank you all for being here today. I- _We_ appreciate very much your presence and support on this difficult time for our city."

He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a couple of cue cards. There were a few lines written on the paper, but he rerely used them. They were just a prop to keep the Brucie Wayne facade.

"As you well know, we're here today to raise funds for the reconstruction of several buildings in the city that were affected by the atrocious actions of a mad man that is thankfully already locked away." Bruce had to pause a moment as yet another round of applause came. He noticed he had clenched his hands around the cue cards while he talked, so he forced himself to loosen his grip.

Joker. That mad man was the Joker. It took Batman two days to find him, and in that time the clown placed a total of seven bombs in several important public buildings across the city, leaving insane clues for him to figure out where to find them. He managed to deactivate only four of them with the little time he was given, but thankfully all of the buildings were evacuated in time.

The loss of lives was sadly inevitable whenever the clown was involved, but the official number of deaths had been eleven. A low number considering the magnitude of the material damages, and over a dozen emergency personal and civilians had also had been injured, but not too severely.

"There is-" Bruce cut himself off abruptly as he saw it. Him. A flash of red and blue flying into the ballroom.

The murmur of the audience raised quickly and the blinding lights were back as Superman landed only a few feet away from where the billionaire was standing.

As bright azure eyes met his own, Bruce struggled to hold back a scowl even as his brain started working frenetically to try to find the reason for Clark's sudden appearance. Superman wasn't scheduled to make an appearance in Gotham today, and if it were an emergency he should have contacted him via his commlink instead of doing _this._

Something was definitely wrong.

Bruce narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched him. Clark didn't seem particularly concerned by the crowd before them or the ballroom itself. He hadn't even taken his eyes away from him since he landed, and as Bruce watched him, he noticed there was a certain wild look in them. He didn't look dangerous or even angry, but Bruce had a hard time finding a word to describe him.

He tensed when Clark moved to close the distance between them, but other than take a couple of steps away from the microphone on the podium, he remained where he was.

"Superman!" Bruce exclaimed, forcing back a smile on his face. "This is -"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. In fact, half a second later he had forgotten entirely what he had been about to say when Clark- _Superman_ kissed him.

Kissed him while he was on his civilian identity. Kissed him as Superman, and in front of a crowd of reporters and Gotham's socialites.

Bruce froze where he stood, wide blue eyes unblinking. Clark's fingers quickly buried in his hair, his hand pushing Bruce's face impossibly closer to Clark's as the alien's lips moved firmly under his.

It took the billionaire a moment to shake himself out of his stupor, and even then he didn't react. He started thinking; working on damage control and very deliberately ignoring, or trying to, the fact Clark was _kissing_ him. And it wasn't just a simple press of lips. He could felt a hot wet tongue probing against his lips, demanding permission to slip inside.

First, he needed to remind himself where he was, and of the fact Brucie Wayne would _never_ push Superman away and punch him in the face (even if he hadn't been planning to do the latter). Brucie would be delighted to have the most powerful being on the planet in his arms, surrendering to his charm.

Yes. Yes, he could work with that.

It took him only a couple of seconds to come to that conclusion, but once he did Bruce let the hand he had raised to push him away move to wrap around the kryptonian's neck instead, and finally let himself react.

He responded with the same heat and intensity Clark was showing, pulling him closer as he let him deepen the kiss. It wasn't until he started to feel lighthearted that he attempted to pull back, only to find Clark's grip wouldn't release him. Before he could panic Bruce pushed more firmly, and this time Superman let him go.

Bruce panted, still struggling to catch his breath as he looked up at Superman. He was fully composed, the idiot, and was still standing close enough to let him feel the heat radiating from the alien body under the suit. He suppressed a shudder and forced himself to focus.

He wet his lips. They felt bruised and hot and tingling. "Wow. That was-"

"Your eyes are beautiful."

"Why, thank you. You're not so bad yourself," He added with a playful wink after a moment's pause.

What the hell was going on? If this was some kind of mind control why wasn't Clark trying to kill him? Why was he acting so- like this?

Clark's eyes darkened, and he reached to take the billionaire's hand on his own, his grip tight but not painful.

"You have to come with me."

"Ah. I'm flattered, really, but I still have to- What the hell are you doing?" He growled furtively, face turned away from the audience as Superman picked him up, one arm under his legs and the other supporting his back as he held him very close to his chest. Bruce's hands instinctively moved to wrap around the alien's neck, and Clark took off before he could say anything else.

"You have to stay with me."

Bruce opened his mouth to tell him exactly what he thought about that before closing it again. There was something wrong here, and until he figured what that something was he should keep Clark with him. He didn't appear to be a threat right now, but either way, everyone would be safer if Bruce kept him close.

"Fine, but we're going to the Manor. And I need to call Alfred," He added, leaving no room for arguments.

He needed to be at the Manor in case he had to subdue an out of control Superman. The kryptonite was there, after all, and he needed to warn Alfred to ensure the man would be prepared, just in case. He would need to contact the League too, to get their help in figuring out what the hell happened and how to fix it.

Thankfully, Clark didn't protest and headed for the Manor without a word, apparently content to know he was going to stay with him.

"Alfred."

"Master Bruce," Alfred answered at the second ring. "I thought you were busy with tonight's fundraiser."

"I was. There was-" Bruce tensed when he felt Superman _lick_ his neck. He cleared his throat. "There was a minor change of plans. I'm heading to the Manor now. Superman is with me."

"I see. I shall get everything ready to greet your guest, sir."

"Thank you, Alfred."

He disconnected the call and slid his phone back into his pocket. One thing less to worry about, then, Bruce thought with a sigh.

He stubbornly ignored the way Clark keep nuzzling and kissing his neck, his hot breath never leaving his skin. The headache he already could feel coming certainly helped with that. Just the thought of the mess he was going to have to deal with after being smooched and literally kidnapped by Superman in a room full of reporters was bad enough.

Because, of course, whatever this was couldn't have happened while he was alone.

_Of course not._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. I wasn't going to participate in this year's Superbat Week because I still haven't finished my fic from last year (I'm so, so, sorry about that, btw!) but then I remembered this fic I've had in my drafts for quite a while now and thought this was as good a time as any to post it and here we are. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this and please do let me know what you think!
> 
> English is not my native language, so any tips or corrections are welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read this chapter before I recommend you read it again because there are several changes made. Again, we're going with Clark's POV this time.

Clark stood before the stove, absentmindedly stirring scrambled eggs in the pan with a spatula while the sound of the TV filled his small apartment. He drank the last of his lukewarm coffee without really tasting it and put the mug back on the counter, shooting an unease look at the TV over his shoulder. Still nothing. He turned his attention back to the stove. 

He wasn't particularly hungry this morning, but that had never stopped him for eating before. Besides, it would give him something to do while he waited.

It was silly, really, that he had to wait along with everyone else to learn the official story when he was the main protagonist, but he had been more than willing to give Bruce the lead on how to deal with this mess even before Diana passed along the Bat's message for Superman to keep a low profile and let him handle it, and that was exactly what he did. 

Superman never stopped saving lives all over the world, he couldn't, but he made no comments and flew away before anyone could ask questions.

He read the statement the Justice League released just a few hours after the incident, of course, but it had been skillfully written to give the bare minimum of information while keeping the public aware of Superman's actions and the League's response. It probably helped that he hadn't attacked anyone this time.

But now, it was time for him to start facing what happened.

On the TV, the commercial break was finally over and, after a brief introduction Clark didn't pay attention to, a familiar name was announced with great fanfare.

Clark turned off the stove and moved to sit on the couch close to the TV. He watched Bruce Wayne appear on the screen, dressed in a perfectly tailored three-piece suit and a perfect everything else, a dazzling smile on his face as the audience cheered and clapped.

They hadn't talked or seen each other since the incident, even if Batman had been involved in figuring out what happened and getting the guilty part to fix it.

A gift. That was what Mr. Mxyzptlk called it. Because he thought Superman deserved a reward for all his hard work.

Only Diana and Bruce learned the specific spell the imp used on him, and while he should be grateful for that small mercy, the fact _Bruce_ knew was enough to make him never want to look his best friend in the eye again. He wondered if it would be better to have everyone in the League knew as long as Bruce didn't. He held back a snort. As if it were even possible to stop Batman from knowing something.

Mr. Mxyzptlk's magic trick was meant to force him to act on his biggest, more hidden desire. A desire he constantly struggled to suppress, and which the imp thought he deserved to realize. Clark wondered if Mr. Mxyzptlk had been surprised by the result. Anyone would have expected Superman's greatest desire to be name himself Earth's ruler or maybe take a break from the heroics and ignore any cries for help, not run off to kiss a billionaire playboy.

Clark wasn't sure even now if he hated the imp or was thankful for his gift, but it didn't matter because he had more important things to worry about-

Like the fact he kissed his best friend in front of dozens of people (not to mention all the hundreds who had already seen it on video by now) and probably ruined their friendship forever. He may have even destroyed their working relationship as well. Not to mention the damage to both their public images, which Bruce was about to do what he could to minimize. And even knowing all that, Clark couldn't find it in himself to regret it. He could regret what caused him to act in that way, but not his actions itselves.

He couldn't regret something he yearned for so, so long, and a moment he knew he wouldn't have gotten to live otherwise.

Clark wasn't sure when exactly he had stopped seeing Bruce as a friend and nothing more. Sometimes, it felt like he had been in love with him forever.

He had lost count of the times he found his gaze wandering down to the man's mouth, the only part of his body that was always visible as Bruce Wayne and Batman. Clark had long ago memorized the curve and shape of his lips, the small scar on his top lip only visible to someone with supervision. He studied and cataloged every single quirk or shape those lips could take, and only his alien nature and reflexes had stopped him from getting caught staring.

More than once he found himself wondering if Bruce's lips would feel as soft as they looked. What they would taste like against his lips. And now, thanks to Mr. Mxyzptlk's gift, he didn't have to wonder anymore. 

Now he knew that a kiss from Bruce was a hundred times better than anything he could have ever imagined. He knew that his lips were the softest things he had ever touched and its taste was intoxicating and rich and something he could spend his whole life tasting and never tire of. 

It was a memory that would forever be imprinted in his perfect memory. A gift and a curse. Clark knew what his greates desire tasted and feel like, and now he had to live the rest of his life knowing he would never get to have it again.

The hostess of Good Morning Gotham, a perky redhead with bright green eyes and full red lips by the name Ruby Jones looked exhilarated in Clark's tiny TV, and she had every right to be. Not only did she have Bruce Wayne on her show for the very first time (the billionaire wasn't known to give many scheduled live interviews, especially on TV) but she also had the exclusive interview _after_ the scandalous fundraiser.

The Metropolis branch of the same television network was transmitting the interview live, like many others probably were doing as well. This wasn't just a typical scandal about billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne, Gotham's favorite son. It was about Superman, founder of the Justice League and resident alien, _and_ Bruce Wayne. 

"Call me Brucie," Bruce's flirty tone made Clark turn his attention back to the screen to see the pink tinge on the redhead's face. Bruce was an expert in causing that kind of reaction, from men and women alike.

"O- Of course." She cleared her throat, turning to smile brightly at the audience as they whistled and cheered. She recovered fairly quickly, even if her cheeks were still pink. "Now, Brucie. Before we start, I have to ask the question that is on everyone's mind."

"Oh?" Bruce prompted, making himself comfortable on his seat in a way only someone with his confidence and poise could in a moment like that. 

The redhead adopted a serious expression, playing to the audience's expectant silence with a dramatic pause. "Is Superman a good kisser?"

Well. They were off to a great start, it seemed. If that was the question they were starting with Clark didn't want to imagine how the rest of the interview was going to go. He wondered what had made Bruce pick this show rather than one less sensationalist.

The smile on the billionaire's face turned coy, his large eyelashes almost touching his cheeks. "Oh. I don't know if I should comment on that, dear. Gentlemen don't kiss and tell."

A unanimous noise of protest filled the studio. The hostess intervened immediately.

"Oh, come on, Brucie! You can't leave us like this!" The woman exclaimed, drawing cheers from the audience. "As the first person to be kissed by the Man of Steel, it is your duty to share all the details with us mere mortals."

"I don't think it's very tasteful to give details, but I will say this," Bruce leaned forward as if he were about to share a secret, and Ruby eagerly did the same. "I was definitely not disappointed."

The audience and hostess promptly went crazy.

Clark had to fight the urge to bury his burning face in his hands as he groaned. He chose to focus on his own embarrassment and very deliberately didn't wonder if Bruce was lying.

"I guess we'll have to settle for that answer, girls and boys." She turned to Bruce with an even bigger grin. "Now, let's go to the _second_ question in everyone's mind. Are you in a relationship with Superman?" She asked after yet another dramatic pause. 

Even if Clark already knew the answer, he still found himself holding his breath as he waited.

"No."

"No?"

"No. I'm not in a relationship with Superman, or anyone else, for that matter," Bruce replied with a playful wink.

Clark was sure he didn't imagine the sounds of protest and disappointment from the audience. After all, it was no secret a considerable number of Gotham citizens had been quick to use social media to express their pride at the fact it was a Gothamite who won Superman's heart, much to the annoyance and shame of a large part of the citizens of Metropolis. 

It was all very bizarre, but not more so than the fact they were right, even if they were about to be told otherwise.

Of course, this went farther than the two cities, and just like there were thousands of people who supported the supposed relationship all over the world, there was also a large number who disapproved of it and attacked Bruce, Superman, or both. _SuperWayne_ had been trending on Twitter since the moment the video was released, along with several other hashtags that had popped up randomly.

"Really?" The hostess asked, her smile dropping a little. "What happened during that charity event in Metropolis last month? Some reports say you and Superman talked for quite a while there, and after what happened last week we all thought something was going on with you two."

"Sorry to disappoint," He said with a lazy smile. "We did talk a bit in Metropolis, yes, but nothing too personal. I did flirt a little, because how could I not, right? But it didn't go anywhere. He was a total gentleman, though."

"Well, we still want to know what happened during the Gotham fundraiser, am I right?" The audience was quick to show their agreement. "So, why don't we take a look at one of the videos recorded that night, and then we can talk about what happened."

"Sure," Bruce replied with a smooth shrug of his shoulders.

Clark watched the video with the same attention he had watched it several times before, even if he could remember every detail of the scene with perfect clarity.

He saw himself fly into the room in all his red and blue regalia, his cape fluttering behind him. Something that didn't appear in the video was the moment Bruce's heart skipped a beat he noticed something was wrong aside from his sudden appearance. The narrowed icy blue eyes glaring at him just before he crossed the distance to press their lips together, and the hammering of the human's heartbeat at the contact. The disturbances in a heart that always remained steady in the middle of battle.

Bruce hadn't responded then, and even when he noticed Clark was ashamed to admit the thought of pulling away hadn't even crossed his mind. Even now, he wasn't sure if it was due to the magic or if that had been all him. Just him and his longing.

After what felt like a second or an eternity Bruce responded, and Clark pressed their bodies impossibly closer as he committed to memory the feel of Bruce's soft lips moving against his own, the warmth of his strong body, and the weight of the ungloved hand on his shoulder.

Clark's face was flushed as the video ended, showing Superman flying off with the billionaire in his arms. Bruce, on the other hand, was unaffected. He even looked a little bored as clear cobalt blue eyes turned away from the screen as the show's logo appeared again. Clark wondered how many times he had already seen that scene play.

As much as it pained him to admit it, he knew Bruce had been acting that night to keep up his public persona. It was harsh, but it was true. Still, even that knowledge did nothing to change the impact the kiss left on him.

"You confirmed just now that you're not in a relationship with Superman, but you seemed very happy to be kissed and held in his arms, Brucie."

Bruce's mouth twitched into a sultry smile. "What can I say? If a gorgeous super strong alien comes and sweeps me off my feet- especially after a kiss like that, of course I'm not going to protest."

Squirming in his seat, Clark had to remind himself once again that Bruce was very good at pretending, and that everything he said or did during the interview was part of that act. But, like the idiot he was, it didn't stop him from reacting to the words as if they were real.

Ruby laughed. "Okay, you have a point there. But what happened after he took you away from the fundraiser?"

"Well, he wasn't very talkative then. I enjoyed the flight for a while, but when nothing else happened I decided to invite him to the Manor, and he agreed." Bruce had to pause as the audience went wild again. "We were there maybe ten minutes before Wonder Woman and that other man, Green Light guy or something, showed up and he went with them."

"And what happened in those minutes you two were alone behind closed doors?" She asked inmediately, leaning forward in her chair.

Clark looked down at his hands, feeling his face turning impossibly hotter.

"Hmm, we drank some very nice coffee."

The hostess blinked. "What?"

Bruce shrugged. "I invited him inside and we shared this rich coffee I brought back from my last trip to Indonesia."

"You had _Superman_ in your house and you drank coffee instead of kissing again?" She asked in the silence that followed Bruce's response.

"Why, Ruby dear, I'm a gentleman. He didn't try anything else and I think he seemed a bit off. Like, confused or something maybe? Anyway, he didn't look like a willing participant anymore, so I behave myself- though not for lack of interest. We talked a bit about the fundraiser and the plans to rebuild instead. And then, when Wonder Woman showed up she mentioned he was under the influence of something."

Clark swallowed. That was not what happened. Far from it. 

He refused to let Bruce move away even when they reached the Manor and forced him to sit on his lap. Then, he tried to kiss him again. More than once. He kissed every inch of skin he could reach again and again, but it wasn't only that. There were his wandering hands too. He had been unable to stop touching him. His hands. His face. His hair. His body. Bruce skillfully redirected any particularly improper touches without setting him off and Clark hadn't insisted, content just to have him close.

Thank Rao Diana and Hal arrived before he tried to do something worse.

"Do you know what it was that made him act like that? I'm sure a lot of us would be interested in getting our hands in that little _something_ that causes such an interesting reaction on the Man of Steel."

Clark saw the moment Bruce's eyes narrowed for just half a second, his pleased expression marred by a light frown and small tilt of his head.

"I don't, no. But there's the issue about consent and all that, right? I think it's illegal to drug someone to have any kind of intimacy- even a handsome alien."

Ruby sputtered, cheeks turning red for a very different reason this time. "That's- Of course, of course! I was merely joking, but you're right. That was in poor taste."

"That's good. You wouldn't want your public to think you condone that kind of deplorable and vile behavior," Bruce commented lightly, prompting a round of applause from the audience.

Clark couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. It was just like Bruce to not let that kind of comment go. Even when he had the fame of being a drunken playboy, Bruce had always shown nothing but respect for women, going only as far as they consented, and only when they were in a state to give consent.

It was that along with his charity work and family name that kept him from crossing the line between being a feckless playboy to a perverted jerk, despite all the crazy compromising situations he had been involved in over the years.

Bruce Wayne may be seen as a rake, but he was a harmless one at that.

"You're absolutely right. I apologize for the inappropriate joke, and I want you and all of our viewers to know I would never condone such atrocious acts and neither would anyone in this network." The hostess looked properly chastised, and Clark was sure that response wasn't caused only by Bruce's words.

Bruce patted the woman's arm. "That's good."

Ruby gave him a thin smile before turning to the audience. "Now, why don't we go back to what we were discussing before? I'm sure you're still very interested in hearing all the details." The audience's response was there, if slightly subdued. "You must have made quite an impression on Superman if he flew all the way to Gotham just for a kiss, Brucie."

"I wish," The billionaire admitted with a sigh. "But the actual reason he came to Gotham was that I invited him to the fundraiser. I didn't know if he would show up or not, so I didn't announced it before."

Silence fell over the studio once again.

"You invited him," Ruby repeated slowly. "How? Do you have his phone number?"

"No, no. Nothing like that." Bruce dismissed with a wave of his hand. "I'm sure you're aware I'm one of the Justice League's major funders. I have never used that to get special treatment or anything of the sort, but this time I decided to reach out and extended the invitation to Superman through the League. 

"I think we can agree Gotham is in a bad place right now, so I thought having Superman make an appearance and give one of his famous speeches would be uplifting for our citizens. And of course, seeing him would have made my wealthy friends even more willing to part with their money as well," Bruce added with a wink.

"I would have invited our local masked man, but I think we can agree he isn't known for his eloquent speeches."

Clark could do nothing but stare at the screen and marvel at Bruce's brain and the ease with which he could create a story with only a handful of facts and without letting any details out, as well as his ability to led on anyone along with his words. If Clark didn't know the truth he would have believed every word without question.

"... cute, really. He even came to the Manor to apologize about what happened."

"He did?" Ruby asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yes. He's a sweetheart," Bruce confirmed with a beaming smile. "I told him it was unnecessary, and to swing by anytime if he ever felt the urge to surprise kiss someone again," He added with a playful wink.

The ringing of his cell phone on the table dragged Clark's attention away from the TV.

"Smallville! Where the hell are you?"

He straightened up. "Why? Did something happen?"

Lois snorted. "Of course it did. Perry is in one of his moods this morning and if you don't get your ass here before he notices you haven't arrived you wouldn't get any mercy."

Clark winced as he heard Perry yell at someone in the background. He didn't even have to wonder what had caused his boss' bad mood.

"I'm already on my way. I'll be there in a minute."

"You better," Lois muttered before ending the call.

Phone tucked in his pocket, Clark looked back at the screen. Bruce was laughing. A fake laugh that didn't reach his eyes but still made him look beautiful. He reached for the remote and turned the TV off.

It was a good thing he didn't need to eat, Clark thought as he regretfully looked back at the abandoned eggs in the pan. He could hear his Ma's voice chiding him for wasting food as he grabbed his messenger bag and left the apartment without a backward glance.

As he hurried in the direction of a dead-end alley a couple of blocks away from his building, he struggled to push the thought of Bruce and their relationship to the back of his mind. He was already dreading what he would find on the Planet because there was _no way_ the buzz of Bruce Wayne's interview wouldn't follow him there.

It was going to be a very long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so, so, sorry for the mess I made with this chapter. I kind of rushed to get it posted before and when I went back to reread it to fix any mistakes I found I hated it. That's actually why it took me so long to post this. I wanted to give myself plenty of time to make any changes I wanted, except that could keep going forever, so I just decided to post it now. I can't honestly say I love this chapter, but I'm at least satisfied with the way it came out, so that's something I guess. 
> 
> Also, I know some of you wanted to see the immediate aftermath at the Manor, but this is going to be a very short story and I needed the time skip to be able to wrap it up quickly. Sorry about that, but I hope you enjoyed this anyway.
> 
> Thank you so much for all the comments, kudos, and bookmarks! It made me so, so happy to know so many people were invested right away with this idea. I can't tell you how much your support and understanding means. I truly hope you liked this! Please let me know what you think, especially if you read it the first time!


End file.
